Ventilating and cooling system for concrete dams or other heavy concrete constructions



Aug. 15, G. TQCCl 1,922,561

VENTILATING AND COOLING SYSTEM FOR CONCRETE DAMS OR OTHER HEAVY CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIONS Filed Nov. 2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4 Invenlor By @www J4 Home y 1,922,561 AMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E E D S CONC RUCT nuen or ,elzdfa 75602,

G, TOCCl COOLING s EM FOR VENTILATING AND OR OTHER HEAVY CONC E E CONST Filed Nov. 2, 1932 Aug. 15, 1933.

W p m WK W Aug. l5, 1933. G. Tocci 1,922,561

VENTILATING AND CooLNG SYSTEM FOR CONCRETE DAMS 0R OTHER HEAVY CONCRETE CONSTRUCTICNS Filed Nov. 2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 /f y 7 6 2.a

`/flllorney Aug. 15, 1933. G. Toccl 1,922,561

VENTILATING AND COOLING SYSTEM FOR CONCRETE DAMS OR OTHER HEAVY CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIONS Filed Nov. 2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor ,67e/7n70 770067;

,f1 Homey Patented Aug. 15,

VENTILATING AND COOLING CONCRETE DABIS OR OTHER CRETE CONSTRUCTIONS This invention relates UNITED STA-*rss PATENT OFFICE SYSTEM Fon HEAVY oo N- Gennaro Tocci, Boulder City, Nev. Application November 2, 1932. S Serial No. 640,910

4 Claims.

to concrete dams and analogous Aheavy concrete constructions, and vmore particularly to a system and apparatus for Ventilating and cooling the same.

It isa fact well known to engineers that large masses of concrete in the cooling process generate gases in the center of the mass and that the outer portions of the mass cool more rapidly than the inner portions, and it is therefore anobject of the present invention to provide an apparatus and system for cooling and Ventilating the mass of concrete during the construction of a dam or the like whereby the cooling ofthe inner portions of the concrete mass and created is advantageously the venting of the gases and efficiently eiected.

The invention, together with its numerous ob-v jects and advantages, will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a concrete dam embodying the invention.

features of the present Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the application and arrangement of the Ventilating system.

cooling and Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectionalview through a'portion of the dam. Y h Y Figure 4 is avertical transverse sectional View through the upper portio n of the dam.

Figures :Tand 5 are transverse sectional views taken substantiallyY on the lines 5 -5 and 6-6 respectively of Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional elevational View through the lower portion of the dam illustrating certain details of construction to be hereinafter more fully referred to. 'f

Figure 8 is a plan View of an anchoring plate.

Figure 9 is an elevation alview of a shield to be used for the vent pipeduring the pouring of lthe concrete.

Figure 10` is a top plan view of the shield.

Figure 11 is a fragmentaryV sectional elevas With referencel more its entirety is designated generally by the reference `character 5. vAs

is Well known, the dam 5 is made of concrete 6, the

concrete being laid in sections, and the concrete dam being built on `a rockfoundation '7.

In accordance with the present invention, `beforeany pouring of the there is provided a main has an intermediate porti concrete 6 isr undertaken,

air pipe or line `8 Ythat on extending above and intermediate their ends securing the.

the lower portions ofthe pipesll and 1.2l and in spaced parallelism to the top of the foundation V'7,"and inclined end portions 8a extending along andin spaced parallelism with the side walls 7a of theriver bed. The walls '7a are also usually of hard rock. At spaced points throughout the intermediate portion and the end portions of the pipe or conduit 8 there are provided oppositely extending lateral branches 9, and each ofthe branches 9 has pairs of pipes or branches` 10 extending therefrom, one pair of such branches being `located at the terminal of a branch 9, and the other pair of Asuch branches being located between therst named pair of branches 10 and the pipe 8 as shown in Figure 2. Leading upwardly from the ends Y of the branches 10 nearest the pipe 8 are Vertical conduit pipes 1l, while leading upwardly from the ends of the branches 16 farthest remote from the pipe 8 are conduits or pipes 12 that are offset as'at 12 and at their upper ends `are offset as at 12a and have their offset ends 12a connected with the upper ends of the pipes 1,1, and with the lower ends'of pipes 13 through the medium of unions 14 as will be clear from a study of Figures 3 .and 4. ,Y 1 Each pair of Vspaced parallel pipes 13 at their upper ends converge and are connected at said upper ends to acornmon exhaust pipe 1,5 through the medium of a Y-coupling 16 aslwill be' clear from a study of Figure 4. Y `The pipe`s15 at their upper ends areoiset asat` 15a land projectv outwardly from the dam 5 slightly below the upper edge of the damV as will be clear from a study of Figures 1 and 4. `The ends 15a of the pipes 15 arethus open to the atmosphere. l

Leading through thelower portion of the dam 5 is a pipe or line 2 2,the pipeorline 22 leading from `a suitable compressor and being connected 'with thepipe intermediate 'the horizontal porl tion of the pipe Vas will be clear from a study of Figures 1 and 3. l.

It wiuaiso be noted thatthe pipes' l11ans `12 at their lower` ends are fitted in holes or pocketsl 17 formed in .the rock foundation 7, and that the lower or inner ends of pipes 1l and 12 terminate upwardly from the bottom or lower ends of the holes `17, so that the holes 17 form spaces for the accumulation of the gases which latter are allowed to escape through the pipes 11, 12, 13, and pipes l5 to the atmosphere. v Y As will be seen from a study `of Figure 7, the pipes or branches 10 leading from the pipes or branches 9 have their free ends extending into the inner ends of these pipes 10 are turned downwardly as at 10a for directing air under pressure initially downwardly through the pipes 11 and 12 to the bottom of the gas pockets or spaces 17.

From the description of the invention thus far it will be seen that air from a suitable com pressor is forced under pressure' through the pipes 12, and 8, and from the pipe 8 through the branches 9, and from the branches 9 through the branches 10, passing from the branches 10 down` wardly through the lower portion of the pipes 11 and 12 displacing the gases accumulating in the spaces 1'7, causing the gases to travel upwardly through the pipes 11, 12, 13, and 15 to exhaust into the atmosphere adjacent the upper edge of the dam.

Sufficient air will also circulate through the several pipes and branches for Ventilating the dam structure.

As will be clear from a study of Figures 3 and 4 the dam comprises a plurality of integral sections of concrete progressively decreasing in width from the bottom to the top of the dam, andaccordingly,V it is contemplated in the present proposed Ventilating and cooling system and apf paratus to first properly arrange pipes 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 22 after which the first section 6a of concrete should be poured, the section 6a of the concrete terminating considerably below the upper ends of the pipes 11 and 12. Next, the pipes 13 would be coupled through the medium of the unions 14 with the upper ends of the pipes 11 and l2 after which the second section of the concrete 6b should be poured, after which pipes 13 should then be coupled through the medium of the unions 16 with the pipes 15 permitting the concrete sectionsY 6c and 6d to be 'subsequently poured.

As suggested in Figure 13, and 15 are preferably perforated as at 1S for Ventilating purposes, and are also encased in tubes 23 of screen material. It is also proposed to use for the lower portions of each of the pipes 11 andr12 a substantially rectangular,reinforcingV plate 19 of metal. Each plate 19, as shown in Figure 7, is adapted to rest on the topof the rock foundation 7 and is provided in its center portion with a flanged opening or neck 20 through which the lower portion of a pipe 11, 12 extends. Each plate is also anchored in position through the medium of tie bolts 21 that are secured to the foundation 'Tby cement or the like as clearly suggested;

To prevent water and fine particles of cement from entering into the pipes 11, 12, 13,,and15 through the screens 23Y land perforations of the pipe, during the'pouring of the concrete, there is provided an imperforateshield 24, the sameconsisting of a shield of semi-cylindrical sections 25 adapted to'beV disposed about the vent pipe, Yand adjacent the upper end of the shield, the sections 25 at their meeting edges are provided with apertured lugs26 to accommodate pins 27 whereby to secure the sections 25 of the shield in assembled positionand about the vent pipe in the manner suggested in Figure 9. Obviously, to separate the sections 25 or to remove the shield, all that is necessary is to remove the pins 27 and the sections 25 of the shield are then free of positive engagement one with the other.

In using the shield 24 itwill, of course, be necessary to have as many shields 24 as there arev pipesll and12, A shield 24 is placed about each of the pipes 11and 12` prior to the pouring of section 6a of the rmncrete.VV After this section '1, the pipes i1, 712

of concrete has been poured, the shields are removed and subsequently placed about the upper portions ofthe pipes l1 and 12, after which section 6b of the concrete is poured. This operation is repeated until each section of concrete has been poured, and when the last section of concrete has been poured, the shields are removed, and the concretethen tamped.

Even though I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of further changes, modifications, and improvements coming within the scope of the appended claims. i

What is claimed is:

1. In a dam including a rock foundation and a wall of concrete rising from said foundation, means for cooling and Ventilating the dam comprising a main air conduit pipe having an intermediate portion embedded in'the concrete mass adjacent the rock foundation and end portions extending upwardly adjacent relatively opposite ends of the dam and embedded in said concrete mass together with branches extending laterally from said main conduit transversely of the dam, and in turn having branches extending therefrom parallel to said main air conduit pipe, vertical pipes connected adjacent their lower ends with the last named branches and arranged in pairs, and terminating downwardly from the upper end Yof the dam, and exhaust pipes connected with and common to each vpair of vertical pipes also embedded in tl'ie concrete mass and having upper end portions extending through said mass and l ,Y

opening to the atmosphere adjacent the upper end of the dam.

2. In a dam including arock foundation and a wall of concrete rising from said foundation, means for cooling, and Ventilating the dam corn-v prising a main air conduit pipe having an intermediate portion embedded in the concrete mass adjacent the rock foundation and end portions extending upwardly adjacent relatively opposite ends of the dam and embedded in said concrete mass together with branches extending laterally from said main conduit transversely of the dam, and in turn' having branches extending therefrom parallel to said main air conduit pipe, vertical pipes connected adjacent their lower ends with the last named branches and arranged in pairs, and terminating downwardly from the upper end of the dam, and exhaust pipes connected with and common to each pair of vertical pipes also embedded in the concrete mass and having upper s end portions extending through said mass and opening to the atmosphere adjacent the upper end ofthe dam, a feed pipe connected with an intermediate portion of said main air conduit pipe and serving Vto connect said main air conduit pipe with a compressor, and said roel; foundation being Yprovided with pockets receiving the lower end portions of the first named vertical pipes.

3. In a dam including a rockrfoundation and a wall of concrete rising from said foundation,

Vmeans for cooling'and .Ventilating the darn comprising a main air conduit pipe having an intermediate portion embedded in the concrete mass adjacentrthe rockfoundation and end portions .extending upwardly adjacent relatively opposite Vends of the dam and embedded in said concrete mass together with branches extending laterally from said main conduit transversely of the dam, and in turn having branches extending therefrom parallel-to said main air conduit pipe, vertical pipes connected adjacent their lower ends with the last named branches and arranged in pairs, and terminating downwardly from the upper end of the dam, and exhaust pipes connected with and common to each pair of vertical pipes also embedded in the concrete mass and having upperV end portions extending through said mass and opening to the atmosphere adjacent the upper end of the dam, a feed pipe connected with an intermediate portion of said main air conduit pipe and serving to connect said main air conduit pipe with a compressor, and saidrock foundation being provided with pockets receiving the lower end portions of the first named vertical pipes, and said vertical pipes being perforated,

4. In a dam including a rock foundation and a Wall of concrete rising from said foundation, means for cooling and Ventilating the clam comprising a main air conduit pipe having an intermediate portion embedded in the concrete mass adjacent `the rock foundation and end portions extending upwardly adjacent relatively opposite ends of the dam and embedded in said concrete mass together with branches extending laterally from said main conduit transversely of the dam,

and in turn having branches extending therefrom parallel to said main air conduit pipe, vertical pipes connected adjacent their lower ends with the last named branches and arranged in pairs, and terminating downwardly from the upper end of the dam, and exhaust pipes connected with and common to each pair of vertical pipes also embedded in the concrete mass and having upper end portions extending through said mass and opening to the atmosphere adjacent the upper end of the dam, a feed pipe connected with an intermediate portion of said main air conduit pipe and serving to connect said main air conduit pipe with a compressor, and said rock foundation being provided With pockets receiving the lower end portions of the first named vertical pipes, and said verticallpipes being perforated, anchoring plates for said rst named Vertical pipes supported on said rock foundation and provided with apertures alining with said pockets and through which the lower portions of said vertical pipes extend into said pockets.

GENNARO TOCCI. 

